Stars
by Jael Arvad
Summary: A loney teen finds comfort in the arms of a former ranger.


Disclaimer: I do not work for or I am not associated with Saban Ent. In any way, shape, or form. This is not for profit; it is only for fun. It is not very happy overall although it has a fairly happy ending. Enjoy!!!!!!!!  
  
Stars  
  
By Jael Arvad  
  
  
  
Jael sat alone under a tree in the park, the cool breeze blowing wisps of her hair into her face. Jael kept moving the stray strands out of her face as she looked at the stars. She started remembering the events of the past year that had brought her to this point; the unexpected wealth, the day she moved, and most of all, the loneliness. Tears slowly started to form in her eyes as the memories flooded her mind. She wished she hadn't had to move, but she had no choice. Running away was the only thing she could do to deal with her feelings, it's not like her mother had left a choice. So she ran as far away as she could to the safest place she could find, Angel Grove.  
  
Jael's tears fell more freely now as she used the sleeve of her flannel to wipe them away. Jael became aware of a person approaching her. Maybe they'll just pass by, Jael thought, but soon the person was standing next to her.  
  
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" the young man asked.  
  
"I guess," Jael replied as she looked at the man next to her. He was dressed very nicely in a pair of khaki slacks and a navy dress shirt. He looked nice in contrast to Jael's purple v-neck tee and flannel over a pair of old, worn jeans with holes in the knees. The man's hair was long, dark, and laid in soft waves. He was looking down at Jael, smiling. Jael returned his smile halfheartedly.  
  
"So, have you made your wish yet?" Jael looked the man in the eye. Jael thought she recognized him, but she couldn't place him.  
  
"Yeah." Jael looked back at the stars, she kind of wanted to be alone, but she didn't know how to tell the man to leave. It would be rude to tell him to leave me alone, she thought. Maybe I should just get up and leave.  
  
"Do you mind if I sit down?" Jael froze. This was the first time since she moved to Angel Grove that anyone had asked to sit with her.  
  
"It's a public park, isn't it," Jael mumbled. The man sat down. It was nice to have someone to talk to, but it's hard when you don't really know the person.  
  
"Hi," the man said, "I'm Tommy." Jael dropped her jaw in disbelief.  
  
That's where I know him from, Jael thought. Jael had seen Tommy once in a race. Jael had thought that he was one of the best looking people she had ever seen.  
  
"Are you OK," Tommy asked. "You look a little pale."  
  
"No, I'm fine. Wait, how would you know that I look pale? I'm not exactly the lightest person in the world," Jael commented. Only she knew when she was shocked, or so she thought.  
  
"I'm sorry if I shocked you, but I have to admit, I've been watching you ever since I saw you give that Capoeira demonstration three months ago." Tommy started to blush. Jael could tell he was embarrassed. "I've never seen anything like that before. I was going to talk to you, but a friend stopped me. When I went to find you, you were gone. Every time I saw you, I tried to get over to you, to introduce myself, to ask you questions, anything. But someone was always with me." It was Jael's turn to blush.  
  
"I didn't know I was that elusive." Jael tried not to seem too excited, even though this was the best news she had heard all year.  
  
"Did you know that no one in town even knows your name? I found that very interesting. Angel Grove is one of those towns where everyone knows everyone else." Tommy had turned to face Jael and was sitting much the same way Jael was, knees pulled up to his chest with his arms resting on his knees. Jael started to grab at the necklace she was wearing. She was very nervous.  
  
"I'm not suprised," Jael said, " I haven't exactly been welcome here." Jael slowly twirled her necklace around her finger. "Most people think I'm some kind of freak. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I seem to know what people are thinking. Or maybe it's because right after I moved here, my parents were found dead in a ditch on the side of the road. Whatever the reason, People don't seem to care about me." Jael was on the verge of tears. Tommy reached over and put a hand on Jael's shoulder.  
  
"Hey," Tommy started to rub his hand back and forth across Jael's back. "People are stupid and judgmental and dumb. If they can't see who you really are, then who needs them?"  
  
"I need them!" Jael's reaction startled Tommy. "It's been like this my entire life! I only had one friend growing up, one true friend. I thought I had a lot, God, I was so naive then. I didn't know I didn't have any friends until I was in middle school. By then it was too late." Jael buried her face in her hands. She had never been comfortable crying when other people were around, but this time it seemed right. As Jael's body was shaking from her sobs, Tommy moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Jael started to calm down.  
  
"It's OK," Tommy murmured. He softly caressed the back of Jael's head. Jael's face was buried into Tommy's chest. Jael started to relax the stress if the years slowly melted away. Tommy placed a kiss on the top of Jael's head, causing her to immediately straighten up and pull away. "What's wrong?" Tommy was puzzled. He had never seen someone react so swiftly.  
  
"I've got to go." Jael got up and started to walk away. Tommy was right behind her.  
  
"What is it? Is it something I said? Did I do something wrong? Hey," Tommy grabbed Jael's arm. Jael spun around, she was in tears.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, but I can't to that to another person." Jael started to shake again.  
  
"What can't you do?" Tommy was confused. He didn't understand what was going on.  
  
"I can't break someone else's heart." Jael turned around to leave, but Tommy stopped her.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Now Tommy was even more puzzled.  
  
Jael was crying so hard that she nearly collapsed. Tommy caught her and slowly guided her to the ground. Tommy put his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. Jael tried to pull away, but she wasn't strong enough.  
  
"I can't do this, I can't hurt you." Jael started crying even harder.  
  
"What, what do you mean? I don't understand." Jael started to calm down. She pulled back from Tommy to look at him. Jael could see the confusion in Tommy's brown eyes.  
  
"I know about Kat and I know about Kim. I know that you were very unhappy when Kim left, and I know that she wrote that letter so that you could date Kat and hopefully not feel so sad anymore." Tommy let go of Jael. Tommy was seriously considering Jael's words. "I also know that Kat left for London this morning. I know that there's a chance that the same thing could happen with Kat that happened with Kim. I know it scares you. You're afraid that you'll get hurt again. I don't want that to happen. I couldn't live with myself if it did." Jael turned away from Tommy, got up, and walked away. Tommy pored over Jael's words carefully. After a few moments, Tommy spoke again.  
  
"You're right. You've hit the nail on the head. I can't believe you knew all that about me." Tommy got up to follow Jael. "Hey, wait. I need to ask you a question." Jael stopped and turned toward Tommy.  
  
"You want to know how I did that, don't you?" Jael walked back towards Tommy. Jael looked into Tommy's eyes. She could tell the confusion was still there. "I can see it in your eyes." Jael started to walk away again. Tommy grabbed Jael's arm.  
  
"Hey," Jael turned around. She started to feel like Tommy wasn't going to let her walk away alone. "I still don't get why you pulled away. I thought that's what you wanted." Tommy eyes narrowed as he looked at Jael. Jael tried not to let her tiredness show, but she wasn't successful.  
  
"That's the problem," Jael looked at the ground.  
  
"What?" Tommy couldn't understand.  
  
"The problem is that I wanted you to hold me and kiss me," tears started to form in Jael's eyes.  
  
"I don't understand." Tommy's eyes were extremely clouded with doubt and disbelief. Jael knew Tommy could never think this on his own. Jael put her hands on Tommy's shoulders and looked him in the eyes.  
  
"Look, I have control over the space surrounding my body, I also have control over anything in that space. If someone is in that space and my thoughts are strong enough, I can control them. Now, if my emotions are high, then it intensifies my thought. So even the smallest thing could happen if I'm upset or happy." Jael kept looking at Tommy, he looked like he started to understand, but he still had questions. "Here, I'll demonstrate." Jael closed her eyes. Tommy started to wonder what was about to happen. Soon Tommy had his hands on Jael's waist and he was pulling her close to him. A few seconds later, Tommy started to kiss Jael, causing her to put her hands around his neck. The kiss lasted for several minutes, and soon Tommy started to unbutton his shirt. Jael pulled away.  
  
"What's wrong, what is it?" Tommy was confused again.  
  
Jael started to back away, removing herself from Tommy's space. Tommy tried to follow her, but Jael put her hand up to stop him. Jael started to speak; "Did you just feel that?" Jael was waiting for Tommy's answer.  
  
"Yes, of course. The only way I couldn't have felt it was if I was dead." Tommy's brown eyes sparkled in the faint moonlight. "What are you getting at?"  
  
"Why did you do that?" Jael was about to cry again. Tommy tried to approach her again, but Jael stopped him again.  
  
"I wanted to, that's why. What are you trying to say, that I didn't want to do it, that you made me do it? That's just not possible." Tommy started to rebutton his shirt. Jael took a step forward. She could see Tommy's disbelief, she knew what it would take to convince him, but she wasn't ready to take that step yet.  
  
"Anything's possible. Didn't you learn that when you were a ranger?" Tommy was very shocked and Jael could feel that. When Tommy tried to speak, Jael placed a finger on his lips to silence him. "Yes, I know that you are a ranger, but don't worry, I won't tell." Jael remover her finger from Tommy's lips and moved her hand back to her side.  
  
"How long have you known?" Tommy's brown eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Jael could see her reflection in Tommy's eyes.  
  
"Since I got here." Jael could see all of Tommy's memories. She dropped her gaze away from his eyes; she didn't want to intrude. "I think I might have even know before." Tommy took a step in closer and took Jael's hand in his.  
  
"You know, you look really beautiful. Has anyone ever told you that?" Jael took a couple of steps away from Tommy and removed her hand from his.  
  
"I should really get going." Jael turned to leave. Tommy grabbed Jael's shoulder and turned her around.  
  
"You didn't answer my question." Tommy put his hands on Jael's waist. If Tommy were anyone else, Jael probably would have decked him by now. Jael pulled herself away from him.  
  
"This isn't right, I've gotten too close. I've got to get out of here." Jael turned to leave. Tommy started to follow her. "You'll stop right there, Tommy Oliver, if you know what's good for you." Tommy stopped in his tracks. Jael kept walking on. "You're under my spell, all I can do is let you sort this out on your own. When you realize what is happening, then we can talk." Tommy took all of this into consideration. Suddenly he remembered something.  
  
"Wait a sec, I don't know your name." Tommy started to follow Jael again. She stopped and turned to answer him.  
  
"My name is Jael." Jael then resumed her former activities.  
  
Tommy stopped and took it all under consideration. "Jael." He whispered her name under his breath. After a few moments, Tommy turned to leave the park. Jael. He turned the name over in his head. Tommy kept thinking about her al the way to his car.  
  
*******  
  
Two Weeks Later  
  
Tommy sat under the tree. With his knees bent and his arms resting on his knees, he looked up at the stars. Soon he heard someone approach.  
  
"They're beautiful aren't they?" the young woman questioned.  
  
"Yes they are," Tommy replied. He looked at the young woman next to him. She was dressed rather nicely in khaki slacks and a violet sweater set. Her clothes looked very nice compared to Tommy's flannel over a gray tank top and old jeans with holes on the knees.  
  
"Have you made your wish yet?" Tommy looked the young woman in the eye.  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
"Do you mind if I sit down?" Tommy patted the ground next to him. The young woman sat down close to Tommy, but not too close. The young woman looked up at the sky.  
  
"I've thought a lot about what you said, I think I understand now." Tommy looked at Jael.  
  
"What do you understand?" Jael asked, expecting the worst, yet hoping for the best.  
  
"I understand that you have power, the power to control others with your mind. But you forgot something." Jael turned to look at Tommy.  
  
"What did I forget?" The question burned in Jael's mind. Tommy took her hand in his.  
  
"You can't make a person do something unless they really want to it." Tommy kissed the back of Jael's hand. "I realized after you left the last time we were together, that had done something I had always wanted to do ever since I first saw you. You just released something I felt deep inside." Jael looked into Tommy's eyes; all she could see was his love for her. Now he started to cloud her sense of judgment. For a second, Jael's mental mist cleared and a question formed in her mind.  
  
"What about Kat?" Tommy slowly caressed Jael's cheek.  
  
"She's history. She called this morning to say that she thought we should see other people. I agreed with her." Tommy slowly inched his way closer to Jael. Jael kept completely still as Tommy put his arm around her.  
  
"So, it's over?" Jael started to sink into Tommy's embrace. Tommy wrapped his arms more tightly around Jael.  
  
"Yes, it's over." Jael looked up at Tommy.  
  
"So, now what?"  
  
Tommy answered her question with a kiss. 


End file.
